Slip casting stoneware test pieces

Again, taking up space moaning about the fact that my horn is not dry. My horn's not dry! 

So, because I want to slip cast it and glaze my casts, I agreed with James to slip cast some test pieces in the same clay I will use for my final piece, stoneware slip.

We mixed the slip and then poured it into our mounds, filling them to the brim.

I left them to sit, topping up occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until there was a visible cast border; this border happens at the contact point between the two where the water is sucked out of the clay by the plaster.

I then tipped the remaining liquid slip back into the mixing bucket. I was careful to pour the slip out with the mould level horizontally so the slip dripped out evenly on both sides.

I then turned them upside down and left them to rest/ air on sticks. 

After a while I trimmed the tops using a plastic blade. This apparently helps the cast cone away from the moulds evenly.

I decided to pop them in the plastic oven a low temperature to speed up the drying time.

I came back the next day, bounced them out of their moulds and then cleaned up their edges using a damp carpet tile and sponge. 

They've been left on the firing rack with my other test pieces.

I will glaze them next week when they've been bisque fired.